Drawer structure



Ap 25, 1 E. P. HAMILTON DRAWER STRUCTURE Filed Oct. 2, 1930' vlfllllll Patented Apr. 25, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDWARD IE. HAMILTON, OF 1"WO RIVERS, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR 1'0 HAMILTON MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF TWO RIVERS, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WIS- GONSIN DRAWER STRUCTURE Application filed October 2, 1930. Serial No. 485,953.

My invention relates to drawer structures and more particularly to drawers provided with metal shoes contacting with and supporting the drawers upon metal runways, upon which metal runways the drawer is moved in or'out as may be required to provide access to the interior of the drawer or to close it after such access has been had.

My invention aims, among other objects, to provide a simple and economical drawer structure which can be made largely of material such as wood which is light and inexpensive, and which, while capable of suporting a relatively heavy load in proportion to its own weight, will resist wear and at all times will permit the drawer to be moved inwardly or outwardly upon its support Wltl'l a relatively light touch of the hand and without objectionable sticking or jerking.

One characteristic of my invention resides in so shaping the drawer shoe as to secure a tangential contact, as presently descrlbed, between the shoe and the runway with which t contacts, while at the same time providing flat surfaces for attaching the shoe to the drawer frame. Another aspect of the invention is to provide a shoe with a rounded runner portion which may be attached by an attaching portion laterally offset from the runner portion, and which will have no protruding sharp edges.

My invention finds particular utility in connection with drawers such as type cases, ind may be understood by reference to the illustrative construction shown in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a front view of a portion of a drawer structure for type cases with my invention applied thereto, one type case being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1 and looking down into a type case, with parts broken away for convenience of view.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1, showing a side view of one case and a section of another; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of my improved drawer shoe as applied to a drawer structure, the parts being shown in section and cut back for convenience of description.

Referring to the figures of the drawing, I have shown steel brackets 1, the horizontal portions of which provide runways 1a for the type cases 2. The brackets 1 are appropriately fixed within a frame or cabinet 3 which may be located, for instance, below a printers composing table.

. The type cases 2 are in general of a drawerlike construction and are desirably divided into regularly spaced compartments as by the partitions 4, for the reception and separation of various type groups. These type cases, which, when filled with type are relatively heavy for their size, should desirably slide freely in and out of the frame or cabinet 3, so that movement of the case may be effected with a slight pressure of the hand and without objectionable jerking of the cases. Because of frequency of use, the tendency to wear is .excessive. The case 2 has the handles 2a for convenience.

As here shown, I provide steel shoes on the case at both sides thereof, which shoes support the type case upon the metal brackets 1 and provide a metal to metal contact between the type case and the brackets. To promote ease of sliding of the shoe upon the runway 1a, where the weight of the type case is supported, I provide for a substantially tangential contact between the shoe and the runway, as next described.

The illustrative shoe comprises in this instance a channel-shaped runner portion 5, the bottom wall of which is shown arcuate in cross section to provide substantially a single point of contact in said cross-section with the runway 1a. The runner portion 5 depends below the plane of the bottom drawer piece 6, to the edge of which bottom piece the runner portion is adjacent. One wall of the runner portion 5 is extended laterally as at 7 outwardly of the runner portion to provide an attaching portion for the shoe. This lateral extension 7 overlies the margin of the bottom piece 6 and has holes through it at appropriate intervals for the reception of fastening members such as the nails 8, which pierce the bottom piece 6, pass through the holes in the lateral extension 7 and are buried in the side piece 9. The heads of the nails 8 are substantially flush with the bottom piece 6 so as to terminate short of the lowermost point of the runner portion 5. The other wall of the runner portion 5 is extended laterally as at 10 and this lateral extension is turned inwardly of the runner portion for a short distance thus providing a smooth external edge for the shoe. The lateral extension 10 lies in substantially the same plane as the extension 7.

The side piece 9 overlies and rests upon both lateral extensions of the runner portion 5, being ofi'set vertically inwardly from the wall of the runner portion 5 adjacent the lateral extension 10, to insure that the shoe only shall contact with the bracket 1. The side piece 9 also desirably extends beyond and laps the edge of the lateral extension 7, as at 11, thus locking the shoe securely in place and permitting the partitions 4 to be mortised into the side piece 9, as at 11a, without the necessity of undercutting the partitions to accommodate the lateral extension 7.

The shoes desirably terminate at the front of the type case short of the front face of the front piece 12, thus concealing the shoes from ordinary view and covering the sharp corners thereof. The runways 1a also terminate short of the front piece 12.

I have thus described a drawer structure which is simple and economical of construction and which has the advantages above set out.

Such changes may be made as fall within the scope of the following claims without departing from the invention.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. A metal shoe for type cases comprising a channel-shaped runner portion having a bottom wall arcuate in cross section, and lateral extensions of the side walls thereof, the lateral extension of one of said walls being turned outwardly of the runner porsage of fasteners therethrough, the lateral extension of the other wall being turned inwardly of said runner portion to provide a smooth external edge for said shoe.

2. In a type case, the combination including a bottom drawer piece; a metal shoe having a channel-shaped runner portion adjacent a side edge of said bottom piece, said runner portion having a rounded bottom wall depending below the plane of said bottom piece and having lateral extensions of the side walls thereof, the lateral extension of one of said side walls extending outwardly of said runner portion and overlying a margin of said bottom piece and the lateral extension of the other wall being turned inwardly of said runner portion and lying in the same plane as said first mentioned lateral extension; holes in said lateral extension overlying said bottom piece; a side piece overlying said lateral extensions of said runner portion, said side piece being slightly offset vertically inwardly from one side wall of said runner portion and extending substantially beyond the edge of said lateral extension of said other side wall of said runner portion overlying said bottom piece and lapping said edge; and fastening members driven through said bottom piece and said holes and into said side piece, said fastening member terminating substantially flush with one surface of said bottom piece.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name.

EDWARD P. HAMILTON. 

